20+ True-Crime Docs To Stream This Summer

TV's slow summer months means you finally have the time to binge all those true-crime docuseries you've previously avoided — you practically have no choice!

I know what you're thinking: Watching true-crime sensationalizes and romanticizes criminal activity! The genre is trauma porn! It's shameful to use stories of anguish as entertainment! I am too good for those kinds of productions! I, too, dear reader, used to share that opinion.

But then Donald Trump got elected president for the second time. Ever since, I have been watching so much true-crime, and I'm not even sure why! Perhaps there is something comforting about seeing the judicial process actually work. And when it doesn't work, maybe there's comfort in watching communities come together demanding justice. Or, maybe I want to spiral into a hellish hole of heinous crimes to help me cope with feelings of helplessness as the world seems to be in constant turmoil. Maybe true-crime is a form of wallowing, and — no shame — wallow I will!

I am obviously not alone, because given my recent obsession, I have learned just how many true-crime programs are out there. So to help you wade through the true-crime waters, I'm rounding up 21 — because I simply couldn't cut it down to an even 20! — of the best true-crime docuseries and documentaries available to stream now. To be clear, this is not an exhaustive list. This is a roundup of the best of the best, the true-crime stories that will keep you up at night or have you polling your friends for their theories. These are the stories that feel journalistic and empathic, not exploitative.

So get scrolling through my list for the best docuseries to stream, then hit the comments with your own top picks!

This one may haunt you for a while. The three-part docuseries taps into everyone's greatest fear: being suspected of a crime you did not commit, and not being believed when you tell the truth about it. When Denise Huskins is kidnapped from the home she shared with her boyfriend Aaron Quinn, the police believe the events are too far-fetched to be true. Especially when Huskins resurfaces just 48 hours later. Deemed the real-life "Gone Girl," American Nightmare chronicles the couple's fight to be believed and how one officer's exceptional police work unearths the truth. While this story has been told in investigative reports from Dateline and 20/20, this 2024 Netflix version takes the deepest dive, and offers the most recent updates from the couple today.

Watch American Nightmare Trailer:

True-crime series revolving around internet culture can be a tough sell. But Bad Influence goes so deep inside one popular YouTuber, Piper Rockelle, that you can't help but become invested in the stories of alleged exploitation and abuse at the hands of her momager, Tiffany Smith. The three-part documentary dismantles the glamour of online popularity, revealing the cult-like manipulation required to retain loyal followers. The only downside? We don't get to hear from Piper or her mom, leaving us wondering about their side of the story.

Watch Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing Trailer:

If you're looking for some lighter true-crime fare (ha!), try Bad Vegan. The four-part docuseries explores the meteoric rise and subsequent downfall of Sarma Melngailis, a celebrity restaurateur who helmed New York's hot vegan eatery, Pure Food and Wine. Melngailis' life changes when she meets a man on Twitter who promises he can make all her dreams come true if she just gives him everything she's got. The pair go on the run after stealing millions of dollars from Melngailis' own restaurant and its employees, but are ultimately caught thanks to an unlikely hero: a Domino's pizza. What exactly do I mean? You'll have to watch to find out!

Watch Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. Trailer:

As someone who did not enjoy Tiger King, I was apprehensive to watch the filmmaker's latest creation, Chimp Crazy. But let me tell you: This is no Tiger King. For one, Tonia Haddix, who goes to extraordinary lengths to fuel her obsession with chimps, is a hilariously wacky central character, and way more entertaining than any of the Tiger King players. Plus, we get to see Haddix's antics juxtaposed with those of a straight-laced PETA attorney fighting for the rights of chimp-kind. (The way they edit those two together, by the way, is chef's kiss.) The four-part docuseries follows Haddix's fight to maintain custody of a group of chimps, whom she calls her "kids," despite protests from PETA — and Alan Cumming?! — about the chimps' welfare under her care.

Watch Chimp Crazy Trailer:

Dancing for the Devil is another examination of a digital cult. It follows the family of Miranda Wilking, a TikTok dancer represented by a cultish management company called 7M. We also hear from former dancers who escaped the group and are attempting to rebuild their lives. This one will might make you more afraid of the internet than you probably already are, but the Wilkings' relentless fight to help their daughter from afar might give you a little bit of hope.

Watch Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult Trailer:

If this list has taught you anything it's this: Internet personalities are monsters! You may have read about Ruby Franke in the news back in 2023 when the popular vlogger was arrested for child abuse, but this three-part docuseries provides new details about the family tragedy. Shari, the family's eldest daughter, provides poignant insight into her mother and family, while behind-the-scenes footage reveals the true evil lurking within the Franke matriarch.

Watch Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke Trailer:

In case you occupy a different corner of the Internet than I do, and this three-part docuseries wasn't all over your feed when it came out in 2023, I implore you to stream it now. On the surface, the story is almost funny: It introduces Jeff and Shaleia, the leaders of Twin Flames Universe, an online community offering classes guaranteeing you'll find your harmonious, destined life partner. (What?!) But then it gets dark, examining the ways Jeff and Shaleia coerced and exploited vulnerable people looking for love. Now, family members are trying to rescue their estranged loved ones from the Twin Flames Universe's chokehold.

Watch Escaping Twin Flames Trailer:

This two-part documentary begins with a small-town murder in Minnesota, and then follows the shocking events that ensued while tracking down the killer, Lois Riess. Dubbed the "Killer Grandma," we hear from Riess herself, who is trying to convince the public to empathize with her. She's not a monster, she says. And while hearing from her can, at times, be compelling, you're also confronted with the heinous crimes she committed — not just one, but two murders. The whole story is just pretty weird. How can a woman so soft-spoken and seemingly sweet be a murderer? This is something you'll have to come to terms with in I'm Not a Monster: The Lois Riess Murders.

Watch I'm Not a Monster: The Lois Riess Murders Trailer:

I somehow was very late to The Jinx train, and only just watched both seasons within the last year. (Thank you to the Hinge man who recommended this one.) Both seasons follow Robert Durst, who's part of a billionaire New York real estate family, and has been accused of three murders over the past 30 years. He had never spoken publicly before this project, and he has quite a bit to say. He's a strange, reclusive figure who will surprise you — especially in the Season 1 finale. (So make sure you stick it out 'til the end.)

Watch The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst Trailer:

You'll want to watch this one in the comfort of daytime because Keep Sweet: Prey and Obey is exceptionally chilling. It takes an in-depth look at the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) and the rise of self-professed prophet Warren Jeffs. While focusing on the harrowing abuse that was exposed after a 2008 raid of a West Texas ranch, the four-part docuseries also highlights the bravery and courage of men and women who escaped Jeffs' rule.

Watch Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey Trailer:

Before you sit down for Love Has Won, you should know that you'll be confronted with the image of Amy Carlson's — aka "Mother God" — rotting blue corpse in the opening scene. Since there's no official warning, I am taking it upon myself to warn you now. Once you get past that, the three-part docuseries is riveting. It follows the life of Carlson, explaining how she went from a McDonalds manager to leader of a cult — albeit one with very disorganized and scattered beliefs. She somehow got people to believe she was "Mother God," who could communicate with a random assortment of people whom she called "The Galactics," which included Robin Williams, Chris Farley, 2Pac, Donald Trump, Prince and Steve Irwin.

Watch Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God Trailer:

I watched this one with my best friend, and I do recommend watching with at least one other person because you are going to want to unpack the story of OneTaste, a dubious sexual wellness company led by Nicole Daedone that teaches the practice of "orgasmic meditation" (OM). Daedone informs the group's female members that they can achieve a "state of OM" through 15 minutes of manual ciltoral stimulation from a man, whom she calls the stroker. Oh, and Daedone regularly demonstrates this technique in front of crowds of people to prove it.

Watch Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste Trailer:

Keith and Sherri Papini seemed to live an idyllic life, but everything came crashing down when Sherri mysteriously vanished from their California neighborhood. She was ultimately rescued, shackled on the side of the road, but investigators soon discovered everything was not what it seemed. Was she really kidnapped, or was this all a hoax? You'll get to hear from Keith, Sherri's now ex-husband, and other family and friends who detail the strange circumstances surrounding Sherri's disappearance.

You won't hear from Sherri, but Investigation Discovery has released its own rebuttal to the docuseries, centered on Sherri herself. I understand if you're a true-crime junkie, you might want to watch that to hear from her, but allow me to tell you: It's much less compelling. The filmmakers entertain too much of Sherri's bizarre explanations and spend to much time going through the charade of a useless polygraph test. The ID series ultimately will not impact whatever conclusion you've already come to after watching Hulu's version.

Watch Perfect Wife: The Disappearance of Sherri Papini Trailer:

Stolen Youth unpacks the story of Larry Ray, a man who moved into his daughter's student housing at Sarah Lawrence College and began grooming her friends. Soon, he controlled every aspect of the students' lives, further isolating them by manipulating them into believing lies about their families. Ultimately, Ray was found guilty of 15 federal counts, including extortion and sex trafficking. He was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison without parole at the age of 63. Many of the survivors have since reintroduced themselves into society and reunited with their families, providing a tiny piece of solace.

Watch Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence Trailer:

Tell Them You Love Me explores unique terrain, making it a necessary must-watch. It tells the story of Anna Stubbefield, a Rutgers University professor who was convicted of sexually abusing Derrick Johnson, a nonverbal person with cerebral palsy. Stubbefield, however, claims she is innocent and was communicating with Johnson through facilitated communication, a scientifically discredited technique where a facilitator guides the disabled person's arm or hand to type the words they'd like to express on a device. Because Stubbefield is white and Johnson is Black, the film explores not only power, disability and consent, but also racial dynamics.

Watch Tell Them You Love Me Trailer:

There's plenty of intrigue within every episode of Netflix's reboot of the NBC classic, but Unsolved Mysteries Volume 4, Episode 2 takes the cake. If you're unwilling to invest in 30 episodes of mystery, at least sit down for this one, titled "Body in the Basement." After a husband discovers his wife dead in their basement with a head wound, police are confounded by the facts of the case. She's surrounded by an unusual amount of blood — seriously, they show some photos of the crime scene and it's a lot — yet there are no signs of an intruder or a crime. Could she have simply fallen? But how could a fall produce that much blood? Plus, she had been complaining about migraines, could that have somehow factored into a possible accident? It's honestly hard to even theorize about this one because it's so bizarre.

Watch Unsolved Mysteries Trailer:

Inspired by a New York Magazine article by Caitlin Moscatello, the three-part docuseries explores the complex world of family vlogging, trans-national adoption and the complexities that come with monetizing your family. Long story short, popular vloggers Myka and James Stauffer adopt a child from China, and subsequently share every detail of his life to their followers after they realize their adoption content is driving people to their channel. Then, three years later, the child mysteriously disappears from their page, causing their followers to worry for his safety.

Watch An Update on Our Family Trailer:

Some titles on this list had their moment in culture — I'm looking at you, Chimp Crazy! — but I truly believe not enough people have heard of, or watched, Vatican Girl. I personally had never even heard of the Emanuela Orlandi case, and boy, did this four-part series enlighten me. It follows the mysterious disappearance of Orlandi, who lived within the Vatican walls and went missing in 1983. The documentary sifts through everything we know — and everything it seems the Catholic church may be covering up — from falsified evidence to various eyewitness testimony. If you're looking for a new conspiratorial rabbit-hole to fall into, this one is for you.

Watch Vatican Girl: The Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi Trailer:

This docuseries examines Gwen Shamblin Lara, the founder of a diet program called Weigh Down Workshop, which preached weight loss as a pillar of Christianity. Shamblin Lara also founded her own church, Remnant Fellowship Church, which incorporated her diet program into its doctrine. She used her church to coerce its members into giving her money, which she spent on personal purchases, and to promote corporal punishment, which lead to the death of a child. Because of Shamblin Lara's manipulation, several members declined to be interviewed for the series. But then, cue a major twist: Shamblin Lara died in a plane crash in 2021, prompting several people who had previously been unwilling to speak about their experiences to reach out to filmmakers. Two additional installments, revealing more details, were released in April 2022.

Watch The Way Down: God, Greed and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin Trailer:

This two-part documentary will make you completely question humanity, but it does end in a way that may make you feel a bit more hopeful. (Just a bit.) Who Killed Garrett Phillips? examines the 2011 murder of 12-year-old Garrett Phillips in Potsdam, N.Y., a small, mostly white town. With no eyewitnesses and little forensic evidence, all eyes turn toward Phillips' mother's ex-boyfriend, Oral "Nick" Hillary, who is Jamaican. Despite investigators denying claims of racial bias when looking into Hillary's possible involvement, court proceedings and interview footage tell a completely different story. With access to Hillary himself and family members of the victim, this story presents a detailed account of an already complicated case made more complex by racism.

Watch Who Killed Garrett Phillips? Trailer:

Peacock's two-part docuseries revisits the 2006 murder of Robert Wone, an attorney who was stabbed to death in Washington, D.C., while spending the night at his friends' house. The story unfurls with plenty of surprising twists that will leave you wondering and theorizing about the roles Wone's friends may have played in his death. Plus, there are plenty of compelling personalities, from the lead investigator to the main suspect's defense attorney, that move the story forward.

Watch Who Killed Robert Wone? Trailer: